Dynasty An Alternative Series
by ss9
Summary: Based on the Dynasty television series, featuring Joan Collins, John Forsythe, Linda Evans etc.
1. Default Chapter

Blake's Office, Denver Carrington:  
  
The skyline of Denver provided an impressive backdrop for the meeting, the mile high sky scrapers covered in thousands of little lights that cast a starry glow over the city, holding the shadows of the Rockies at bay. It was only fitting that this occasion had such breathtaking scenery. Blake stood in his company boardroom gazing at the view, "A penny for your thoughts."  
  
Blake turned and smiled at his visitor "Hello Alexis, shouldn't that a be dollar?"  
  
"Not where I come from, besides are they really worth a whole dollar? You must be pondering something really important, the nature of the universe at least, because don't tell me that currency fluctuations and inflation can turn a penny into a dollar."  
  
Blake chuckled softly and shook his head "No nothing so grand, I was just wondering if when I first started Denver Carrington I had the slightest idea that it would all turn out like this? That I would one day man the helm of one of the largest oil companies in the US, and after tonight one of the most powerful in the world."  
  
"Well I did Blake, I never had a doubt about it. If you think your life is different than you expected, then mine is completely opposite. Growing up I thought like all girls do that I would meet a handsome prince, fall madly in love and live happily ever after just like in the fairy tales. Well I didn't get the happily ever after but I did get an empire as compensation so I can't say I've done too shabbily, and after tonight both our companies are going to be more powerful than ever."  
  
Blake sighed, Alexis was right there was no such thing as happily ever after, he was just pleased that of the many things that they managed to accomplish over the years putting their feud behind them was one. It had taken along time to get to the root of the problem, due to the fact that both were too stubborn to admit to it. Krystle had made him face facts, he was still uncomfortable around Alexis and she around him because on some deep level they couldn't stop caring for the other, resorting to punishing themselves and each other for the love they scorned to bear. However the result of this was that despite putting the weapons away, they were still on edge around the other, needing to maintain the barriers that kept them and the underlying tensions at bay.  
  
Alexis sighed, she had been watching Blake for some minutes before she had interrupted his reverie, it was at such times that he let his guard down and let his thoughts and feelings show on his face and he was never so open as when he was surveying his kingdom. At that moment the door opened and their eldest son Adam entered, he was positively animated with excitement, like a little boy at Christmas. Alexis beamed at him, it was true that this deal was as much his triumph as hers and Blake's, he had come up with the original idea, which had at first seemed ludicrously far fetched and too ambitious for Denver Carrington to attempt alone. It was through his dog- eared persistence that he had persuaded Blake to approach her to propose a joint operation, and now here they stood on the eve of its fruition, Adam had every right to be excited.  
  
"They're starting to arrive now, the delegations from the Australian companies are already on their way up and the Japanese are due to arrive in about five minutes. Do you want me to bring them straight in here or wait for everyone to arrive first?"  
  
"Bring them in here, it will give them a chance to relax and get settled before we start, oh and tell Marsha to bring in the coffee." Blake answered, Alexis smiled to herself, the moments of introspection and doubt were over, Blake was back to his usually Captain at the helm self.  
  
The Carrington Mansion:  
  
Meanwhile across Denver a drama of a very different kind was being played out. Fallon Carrington Colby was trying desperately to get her stubborn daughter to open the door.  
  
"Lauren, please let me in, your father will be home any minute, you know how important this family dinner is to him."  
  
There was no answer, according to the staff ever since Lauren had came home from school she had locked herself in her room, unwilling to speak to anyone. At first no one was particularly worried, it wasn't uncommon for Lauren to spend hours in her room, but normally the door wasn't locked and you could tell she still lived from the repetitious loud music she played.  
  
Fallon had had to laugh the other day when she caught Gerard singing along to a Britney Spears track, the poor man hadn't even realised what he was doing, and ever since then he hadn't been able to look her in the eye. Tonight she would give anything to hear her daughter play her music, this silence was unnerving, LB had never given her these types of problems, plenty of others though especially with girls. The family loved to needle LB about his many girlfriends, never letting him forget about the night one of his ex's had rung the mansion asking to speak to Blake ending up with Blake senior; at whom she had proceeded to throw torrents of abuse before realising her mistake.  
  
"Lauren, I mean it now, open this door and explain yourself or believe me you'll regret it."  
  
"Alright, I'm coming, just give me a minute will you!" Lauren opened the door about and inch and peaked out,"What?"  
  
"Lauren let me in, we need to talk about your attitude" Fallon pushed open the door only to be astounded with what she saw, "Lauren, what the hell have you done to your hair?"  
  
Her daughter's face crumpled up," It wasn't meant to turn out like this, I wanted a nice red tinge but I think I left it on too long, oh mum, I look like a human carrot." Fallon tried in vain not to laugh, she herself knew the perils of home hair-care but fortunately for her, her mistakes had only amounted to a very ragged fringe, whereas her daughter had managed an almost fluorescent orange.  
  
"Mum it's not funny what the hell am I going to do?"  
  
"Well have you thought of shaving it off?"  
  
"HA HA, that's very amusing, something constructive please!"  
  
"Alright we can try dying it darker, I'll make the call."  
  
"It had better work or else I'm not leaving my room until it's grown out."  
  
"Lauren it's not that bad, besides you could always get a part time job at the airport."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You know guiding planes in to land," and with that she made a dash for the door, narrowly avoiding the cushion thrown at her, by her glowering daughter.  
  
The Boardroom, Denver Carrington:  
  
Back at Denver Carrington the room was bustling with businessmen, no other women though Alexis noted, or was that one a woman, these days it became more and more difficult to tell. She could never understand why women executives fell into two distinct categories the vamp or masculine clones. The first used the men around her to climb up the ladder of power never to reach the pinnacle, the second tried to make themselves as much like their male colleagues hoping it would compensate for their not having a penis. However these businessmen were somewhat different than she normally dealt with, most of these men were the owners of their small companies, combining money management with manual labour on their own rigs. She doubted if many of them had been in a boardroom in their lives, certainly not one belonging to a company the size of Denver Carrington.  
  
Alexis looked up and caught Blake's eye, he nodded at her and began to lead his companion across to her, Blake had been talking to one of the Australians, a tall man with sandy coloured hair flecked with grey at the temples and a rugged complexion.  
  
"Alexis may I introduce Jim Marker, he's the director and owner of the Marx Incorporated, we've been hearing so much about."  
  
"M'am I'm very pleased to meet you, Blake you're a lucky man, I wish I had such a beautiful wife who helped out at my business functions, it must be nice having all your family involved in the business." Alexis almost laughed out loud; the look on Blake's face was a picture, and as her mother always said a picture beats a thousand words.  
  
"Mr Marker, Alexis is my business partner, not my wife, if you'll excuse me we need to make a start."  
  
As Blake speedily departed Mr Marker turned to Alexis his face beetroot, his mouth agape and began to stutter his apologies.  
  
"I'm sorry it just that when Adam introduced me to his father, he mentioned that Blake should introduce me to 'Mother', and then he brought me over and introduced you as his partner, and I just thought."  
  
"You just put two and two together and come up with five instead? Don't worry it isn't entirely your fault, Adam is mine and Blake' son, in fact he's the eldest of our four children, however we've been divorced for over twenty years, and I think it still needles Blake when people assume that we're a couple, especially as we've both subsequently re-married."  
  
The tapping of a water glass gained everyone's attention and Blake moved to his seat at the head of the boardroom table.  
  
"Good Evening Gentlemen, I trust that you all had pleasant flights and that the accommodation we've provided for you during your stay is satisfactory? However I'm sure that you're anxious to get started and find out why we've invited you all to Denver?"  
  
At this Jim Marker spoke up,"You could say that Mr Carrington. After all what would two of the richest oil producers in the States want with a handful of small time players from the other side globe? I know it piqued my curiosity enough to come, however I'm stating right now Mr Carrington, if this is just a ploy to butter us up in order to get us to sell out, your going to be very disappointed. I've had to work hard to keep my company afloat and I'm not going to sacrifice the jobs of my workers or my children's inheritance due to pressure from a big overseas player. I know that's the reason why a few of my friends turned your offer down, I think we all would agree that Stageman Industries is most noted by its absence."  
  
Blake nodded in agreement with Marker's sentiments, "I understand how you feel, I built my company up from nothing and I too wouldn't sell out to any one no matter the price. That's why you're all here, your companies were selected because you survived when many of your competitors were going under, your fighters and that's what we need. My son Adam came up with this proposition, we know the only way to survive is to find new fields in territory outside of OPEC's grasp. However despite the globalised nature of both Denver Carrington and Colby Co our expansion into the Far East had only progressed as far as the South China Seas Oil leases and so we could spend years and billions of dollars in our own separate explorations. Yet it was precisely in this area that we needed to be expanding. Therefore he proposed a partnership, firstly between Denver Carrington and Colby Co to provide the international clout and financing. Then secondly an alliance with some smaller companies in the localities into which we needed to expand. The first stage of this operation is complete, our Japanese visitors represent a number of small mineral exploration firms, who have been investigating prospective drilling sites, it took some time but they have been able to provide us with a handful of possibilities. Therefore it is now on to stage two and for this we need your help. Alexis would you care to elaborate?"  
  
Blake watched as the eyes of their prospective partners fixed on the beautiful Alexis Colby, everything was so far going according to plan, he'd set up the deal and now it was her turn to sell it to them. She stood up slowly, smiling graciously at the assembly and he saw many of the men who had been uptight and defensive listening to his oration visibly relax. It often surprised him the effect that she could have on the most rational of businessmen, yet all men have their weaknesses; many would fight fifteen rounds with another man before giving ground, but would be putty in the hands of the right woman.  
  
"Good evening gentlemen, I assume by now you have some idea why you specifically are here? As Blake has already explained through co-operation with other companies we have located some potential drilling sites. However as you are all experienced oil men you will know that despite their best efforts these meteorologists can only tell us so much, it is through actually digging that we can determine firstly if the oil there is reachable and secondly how much there is. That is where you come in. Despite the size and reach of our companies Blake and I would need to invest billions of dollars to exploit all these sites, more to the point there is the time factor.  
  
We would need to start from scratch, either recruiting staff in the area or moving our own people in, both of which would cost us time and we might lose out on these opportunities to other international companies. However with your help we could solve this problem. You already have employed, the skilled workers that we require, you have the appropriate infrastructure in place and therefore could be up and drilling in a fraction of a time it would take us; nor would we have to interfere with our other projects by dragging off skilled workers. Gentlemen it is that simple, we want to do business with you, we want to work alongside you and bring in the profits for all our companies.  
  
The only catch is timing, we need companies in this that are prepared to start work immediately before the international community realises what were up to. Although we do hold the appropriate leases I'm sure we all know that many rotten apples can be thrown into the political barrel to stop us, environmental groups, health and safety committee reviews, the list is endless. We need to move and start drilling on our prospective sites ASAP and for that we need your immediate reactions. To put it simply gentlemen are you in or out? If the answer is an outright no I suggest you say so now, then no hard feelings and we hope you enjoy our hospitality in Denver until you fly home. So gentlemen what is it going to be?"  
  
Stageman Industries, Australia:  
  
The sun beat down heavily on the rig workers. It had been a hot summer so far, the kind of heat that drove dogs mad, John Stageman sighed, it was driving him mad. The work was progressing very slowly, what made things worse was the fact that he had to sit around waiting for reports to come, instead of being out in the field making things happen. He knew he should be used to it by now, he'd been stuck in this wheelchair for fifteen years ever since that damn accident, but this summer seemed the worst. He sighed again, to the outsider things would appear to be going well, despite his paralysis his company was flourishing and his only daughter was finally getting married, and both were thanks to his future son in law. Maybe that was what was really bothering him? No he shook his head, in the five years that he had known Alex he could count on one hand the number of times they had argued, and even then he found it hard to stay mad at the man who had saved his life. Not even over this Denver business. Although it could be blamed for dragging up long buried memories.  
  
It had been a summer much like this, the sun scorched the land and there was no sea breeze to take the edge away, he and his men had been out on a preliminary drill site and the heat was getting to everyone. It had been nearing sundown when he decided to call it a night, most of his crew had gone to bed or the local, and he was on his way to join them when one of the fire alarm klaxons sounded. He hurried to the control equipment, it appeared that someone hadn't closed down properly and due to the intense heat some of the wiring had fused but John knew his crew too well, it had to be sabotage. The next thing he remember was an intense weight crashing down on him and he passed out, when he woke up it was to the smell of thick black smoke and the sound of a low soothing voice reassuring him before he blacked out. The next time he opened his eyes was in the hospital a week later and it was then that he found out that he would never walk again.  
  
However in the years since he had become even more certain it had been no accident, that a business competitor had paid someone to sabotage his operation, hoping it would destroy his credibility as an oilman and bankrupt him. He could never gather enough proof but he was certain he knew who was responsible, he had only met the man once when he had thrown down his offer to sell out. No one was going to get away with trying to blackmail him and he'd called in a few favours and had the jackass run out of town. At the time he hadn't taken the man's threat of revenge seriously, he was a known opportunist not at all a heavy weight. He knew deep down that he was right not let Alex go to Denver to deal with the Americans, he had learnt years ago from that skirmish never to trust any man called Carrington. 


	2. Chapter 2

Carrington Mansion:  
  
The clinking of crystal champagne flutes could be heard throughout the ballroom at the Carrington Mansion sparkling over the murmurs of numerous conversations. Krystle Carrington gracefully flittered from group to group ensuring her guests were enjoying themselves, her smile growing with burgeoning excitement. So far this had been a great party almost all the family had been able to make it. Fallon, Jeff, and even Lauren sporting her new hair cut, had managed to make space in their diaries. Steven and Danny had flown back from New York for the weekend and to share in the celebration LB and Kristina had both come home from college.  
  
"Well, well, well, I must admit that despite my expectations you've not done a bad job Krystle, given the short notice, I suppose even on the odd occasions I can be wrong." Krystle astonished whirled round to face a smirking Alexis Colby resplendent in a figure hugging off the shoulder red dress, "Excuse me was there a compliment hidden somewhere in there?"  
  
"Yes, surprised? Don't worry dear it's unlikely you'll have to get used to it, I only give praise when it is deserved!"  
  
"Really! In that case Alexis why don't you stop taking all the credit for this deal, we both know the real praise belongs with Adam and Blake."  
  
"Yes the original idea was Adam's, however none of this would have been possible without Colby Co financing and my international connections, and besides Adam is my son and he had to get his brains from somewhere. Now excuse me dear, I'm sure you have to get back to your mono-syllabic group and I have far more important and interesting people to talk to." With that parting shot Alexis slinked across the room.  
  
Meanwhile upstairs an exchange of a very different nature was taking place Adam was pacing up a down his room, waiting to go downstairs, his wife Kirby had locked herself in the bathroom and was refusing to come out despite his pleading. Adam couldn't understand what was wrong; everything had been going so well for him lately. He had a beautiful wife who he adored, his relationship with his parents has never been better, he finally felt he had both their trust and respect and that of the industry at large. More importantly than all of this, he was sure an upcoming appeal to the courts would grant him custodial rights to his son. Adam smiled when he thought about his son Robert, all those years ago he had been at his lowest point, he had lost his wife Dana and his son was being raised by the surrogate mother and her husband.  
  
Two months ago he had received a letter from Karen asking for his help, he had been shocked but not surprised to learn that her husband Jesse had run out on her and the children several years ago, eloping with some silicone enhanced actress to South America. He was distressed to hear that she was slowly dying from cancer and she desperately needed his help. At first Adam had been reluctant, he couldn't help but feel resentment for all those years with his son that he had missed because of the boy's mother. However after talking it through with Kirby, she had made him realise that bonding with his son would go a lot easier with Karen on his side, his wife had been so supportive throughout the entire process and so he was puzzled by her sudden and unexplained outburst.  
  
"Kirby, are you going to come out of there? Sweetheart please, tell me what's wrong!"  
  
The bathroom door slowly opened and Kirby faced her husband, tears streaking down her face, she held out her hand and Adam reached to take it, but instead she placed a plastic tube in his. Adam looked down bewilderedly at it, he suddenly realised it was a pregnancy test, a positive pregnancy test.  
  
Downstairs the party was in full swing, everyone appeared to be having a great time, everyone except Krystina Carrington, she was only pretending to enjoy herself. She'd talked to all her family and been led around by her mother and introduced to some well-mannered and educated young men, of whom she and her father obviously approved. A few minutes of conversation had proved them to have the same stifling ideas of the proper scheme of things as had so many their type, their obsession with money and power and the arrogance over their birthrights. Krystina always found that no body worth bothering with mentioned money or possessions in the first conversation, those that had true class didn't need to wear the price tag on their sleeves.  
  
The older she got the harder she found it to respect those who just inherited or married into their wealth and then did nothing with it. It wasn't the money that she found difficult to deal with, after all she'd grown up with plenty, it was the superior attitude that went with it, she'd always believed you had to earn the right to be looked up to you couldn't buy it. So for her this party was proving to be another showing ground, lots of "look here comes Blake and Krystle's little girl" and "oh hasn't she grown". Well she thought sipping her orange juice, there is only so much fun you can have when your underage and at a party thrown by your parents, but will I forever only be seen as Blake and Krystle Carrington's little miracle.  
  
Only Danny and LB saw her as she really was, at college she had a well- earned reputation as a party maniac, a fun loving and independent free spirit. The truth was although she looked like her mother, she had taken after her father, and from the gossip she'd heard had a lot in common with her eldest sister Fallon. As she edged her way out of the room, politely smiling at her parents' friends she wondered why does my family insist on keeping me in this little box? Why I can't I be given the same freedom as Fallon, even Amanda, to be myself, but deep down she knew the reason why, her mother.  
  
Stageman Ranch:  
  
On the other side of the globe as one family was partying the night away, another was sitting down to breakfast. John Stageman sat at the head of the table watching as his family drifted into eat; he could always judge what day they were going to have from how and what people ate for breakfast. The first up had been his wife; she had taken breakfast on the run, as she had an important W.I. meeting in town for the upcoming conservation gala. Next in was the children, his daughter Abigail still looking sound asleep and his step-son Ben, both greeted him with audible grunts before sitting down to attack their scrambled eggs. The last in was Alex in contrast to the others he had obviously been up for hours and greeted everyone enthusiastically.  
  
"Good Morning," a trace of an American accent standing out more strongly than usual in the silence, "Guess who've I've just been talking to?" he said to John.  
  
John looked up with interest, "Who?"  
  
Alex smiled at him, "Jim Marker, you know he went to that Denver Conference despite your warnings. Well he just rang up to fill me in on what happened. Apparently he and about five others are entering into drilling partnerships with the Americans. Chance of a lifetime he said." Alex paused for a moment to gauge John's reaction; "he wanted to let us know that if we changed our mind about dealing with them he'd put a good word in for us."  
  
"Absolutely not, I told you I'm not dealing with those people, and Jim's a fool if he thinks he can, they play way out of our league, and not by a rule book any decent person would support." John retorted angrily, his tone shaking the others out of their reverie.  
  
"Look we've been through this before Alex and the answer still no, leave this deal and those people alone, believe me we are better off have nothing to do with them."  
  
"Yeah so you keep saying, you said no to even finding out about this deal ever since day one, yet you've never bothered to explain why? Don't you at least owe me that?" Alex replied his own temper getting the better of him.  
  
John shook his head, "believe me my boy if I could, I would but there are things that are my personal business only, and you are just going to have to respect my decision, Stageman Industries is still my company and what I say goes."  
  
"Fine it doesn't look like I've got any choice does it. However let me remind you I am hardly a naive kid I'm a grown man and you may be the boss but there is no difference between us in either knowledge or experience and I take it personally that you can't trust me with this." With that he turned and stormed out of the dining room, leaving a stunned family in his wake.  
  
Carrington Mansion:  
  
Back in Denver the morning after the party, an alarm clock sounded the person in the bed groaned softly before reaching out and picking up the alarm, then hurling it across the room. Moments later a loud crash was heard as the alarm impacted with a vase of flowers, the crystal shards shattered across the desktop and the water seeped over the sides and dripped onto the carpet.  
  
"You know Fallon most people find that just switching the damn thing off works just as well, and with a lot less mess to clear up too."  
  
Jeff heard a low mumble coming from the heap of bed clothes that sounded a lot like, "shut up you unfeeling git, it's your stupid alarm not mine."  
  
Jeff smiled to himself his wife was never at her best first thing in the morning, but he still decided to needle her further, "don't tell me that you've got a hangover Fallon, I would have thought at your age you would know better. What sort of example are you setting for the children especially....." Jeff paused midway as his somewhat crumpled and evidently furious wife suddenly sat up.  
  
"What do you mean 'at my age'? Are you trying to tell me something Jeff? Are you seriously implying that I look old because have you looked in the mirror lately?"  
  
Jeff sat perfectly still, aware of the hole that he had dug for himself, and totally perplexed as to the best course of action to get himself out, " Argh... Fallon you know that's not what I meant."  
  
"Don't you sweetheart me Jeff Colby, so what did you mean then? Is this your not so subtle way of telling me I've let myself go or are you implying I have a drinking problem and if on top of all this I'm such a terrible mother maybe you should think about trading me in for a younger model! Should I call my solicitor and get him to prepare for another Colby divorce, because I'm warning you Jeff I won't put up with you undermining me like this."  
  
Jeff was too stunned to answer, his mouth hung open aghast at her suggestion, the look of bewilderment was too much for Fallon and she burst out laughing. Jeff nervously looked at her unable to decide whether it was safe to join in or if he would be in for another attack if he did.  
  
"Sometimes Jeff Colby you are just too easy."  
  
"That wasn't nice Fallon, god you really had me worried there for a moment."  
  
"Not my fault you just set yourself up, besides you really think I'd give up on you now, after all these years of hard work."  
  
"How romantic, so I'm your personal reclamation project, it's nice to know I'm appreciated."  
  
"Oh darling you are. Darling don't sulk, come over here and I'll show you just how much."  
  
Jeff shook his head it was just another normal roller-coaster day in his marriage, but somehow he doubted he would want it any other way.  
  
Across the corridor and few doors down another Carrington couple were having a fight of a very different nature. Adam and Kirby very rarely fought however over this pregnancy they were on very different sides. Adam felt torn in two, on one hand he had wanted this baby for such a long time but on the other he couldn't risk losing his wife. When he and Kirby had got married they had both wanted a family and so they were delighted when she soon fell pregnant. However there had been complications and Kirby miscarried, they tried again but again their was another miscarriage. The effect that this had had on his wife had been a deep depression and with her family's history of mental illness, Adam had been afraid that any further attempts at a baby could push her over the edge. So they had both decided that maybe it was for the best if they didn't try for any more.  
  
Now it seemed matters had been taken out of their hands, but Kirby was adamant she didn't want this baby, at least if she had an abortion the decision not to carry on would be hers. She thought that through this there would be no building up of hopes and no devastating disappointment when, as she thought, the inevitable would happen; an abortion would protect the entire family, especially Adam. Besides the important thing was having a child to love, Adam's child, it didn't have to be hers and soon Robert would be living with them, another baby would only complicate the situation. No she was determined and nothing Adam was going to say was going to change her mind.  
  
"I'm going to make an appointment to see Dr Brooks, get him to confirm the pregnancy and get this over and done with as soon as possible. No don't say anything Adam, we've gone over and over it, deep down you know I'm right. I've made my decision." With that she turned and left, leaving her husband despairing, his head in his hands.  
  
Denver Carrington Building:  
  
Blake Carrington strode purposefully towards the elevator, his Italian leather briefcase in one hand, his tailored cashmere coat casually draped over his arm. Before long he was comfortably ensconced in his office the necessary paperwork spread out on the desktop before him. Everyone was due here at noon to sign their contracts but he wanted to read through them thoroughly before anyone signed, making sure there were no loopholes Colby Co's legal department had missed. He had almost finished when at about 11.30 his secretary buzzed to inform him that Alexis Colby was on her way in to see him, he had barely laid the papers down when Alexis swept into the room, favouring him with one of her dazzling smiles.  
  
"Good Morning Blake. Why am I not surprised to see you checking through those contracts! Don't tell me that after all these years and after all we've been through together you still don't trust me, I am truly hurt!" she said with a wry grin.  
  
Blake harrumphed, "Old habits die hard."  
  
"And leopards don't change their spots, is that it?" she queried softly, already knowing the reply.  
  
Blake simply raised an eyebrow, he knew he didn't have to answer that one, "Well that analogy is better than, you can't teach an old dog new tricks I suppose." He replied teasingly.  
  
Alexis looked at him aghast, "language! I thought we'd put the exchanging of petty insults behind us Blake, besides I'm not a bitch, well, not all the time." They both smiled at that comment. "Well as fun as this war of words is I have got a real reason for being here early, I wanted to talk to you about your brother. Have you heard from him recently?"  
  
Blake nodded, "Yes last week actually, we'd been discussing the work he done for us with the Japanese and I was trying to persuade him, Leslie, Clay and the twins to come over here for Christmas. Ah which reminds me, do you have any firm plans? It would be nice to have the family together under one roof for Christmas, and I know the children would like it. Unless you've already got something arranged?"  
  
Blake looked up from his papers and caught Alexis's gaze, her eyes lowered misty with emotion, her answer low and soft "I'd love to come, thank you."  
  
Blake turned away, and walked to the window, after all these years he was still unable to deal with Alexis when she unexpectedly softened up. Most of the time she kept her emotions firmly under lock and key, Alexis Colby, Denver's own iron lady, and that made it easier to forget that somewhere underneath all those layers of armour was the same woman that had captivated him all those years ago. Instinctively he wanted to comfort her, but that road had been closed long ago and it would not do any good stirring up old thoughts and feelings. After giving her a few moments Blake asked, "So what was it about Ben you wanted to talk about?"  
  
Alexis smiled, once again the enigmatic tycoon journalists loved to hate, and sauntered over to the window drawing strength from the mile high city- scape. "Well I was wondering, we are going to need someone working for us over in Australia, it is a long trip for either of us to make each time there is a problem and I don't think either one of us wants any of the children living that far away." Alexis paused, "Besides Ben knows the area and I'm sure most of the men we're working with, wouldn't it make sense to extend his Consultant's contract, have him as our liaison officer?"  
  
Blake shook his head, there were still times when she managed to surprise him, one moment whimsical the next eminently practical. "I think it's a good idea, although it will seem a little strange, Ben acting as a consultant in Japan was one thing, but what you propose would make him our direct representative with those people. Which means the three of us are going to have to spend a lot of time working together, do you think that we could do that without it getting out of hand? As I recall the last time the three of us were together there was an actual explosive reaction, and nor were you originally thrilled with using him as a consultant."  
  
"Blake that was then and this is now, I think he's proved that he can be trusted, besides do you have a better idea?" Blake shook his head, "So that's sorted then."  
  
Australia:  
  
John Stageman sat in a recliner out on the decking staring out to sea. He couldn't dismiss the scene at breakfast, he couldn't remember ever having seen Alex so angry. He had tried to talk to him to explain, but Alex had taken the boat out and was ignoring all radio calls even those from Abigail. John just couldn't understand why Alex was so desperate to get in on this deal. It wasn't the money they could make; Alex had proved time and time again that although he took pleasure from the finer things in life he was just as happy to sip beer as champagne. Nor was it simply the fact that John had said no, this wasn't the first time that they had a difference of opinion over a deal and Alex had always accepted that the final decision lay with John. What was this irresistible draw that this Denver deal had, why did Alex keep pushing John to let him go to that meeting even though he knew he wasn't interested? Maybe it was something else, something from Alex's past, something his subconscious alone remembers.  
  
Everyone had been shocked to hear Alex's story; of waking up one day in Korean hospital unaware of his identity, the doctors assumed that he had been mugged and savagely beaten before being discovered by some tourists and rushed to a local hospital. The doctors and police had done everything they could to restore his memory and trace his real identity. However they could find no record of anyone matching his description listed as missing through Interpol, nor could they trace any of his possessions other than the clothes he stood up in. Finally he was discharged and through the help of one of his doctors he got a flight to Australia and successfully applied for citizenship. He had taken the name Alex Coleman and started to work odd jobs until he settled into life as an oil rigger.  
  
John had once asked him if he ever remembered glimpses of his old life, if he ever wondered why he had chosen that new name and why this job had come so naturally to him? Alex had taken some time to reply, and after a tense silence had said,  
  
"Have you ever experienced De ja vu John? Well its something like that and yet very different. When I was in hospital I used to read all the papers I could lay my hands on, trying to jog my memory and certain names repeatedly caught my eye and so I used a conglomeration of them, something that just seemed to sound familiar, I don't whether Alex Coleman is anything like my real name, or maybe it's similar to that of someone who was important to me, someone that despite the amnesia I still am drawn to. Sometimes at night I lie awake for ages trying to put a face to that feeling of familiarity."  
  
"Other times I see someone in a crowd and I think I know them, I chase after them only to either lose them or on occasion actually catch up with them and them have them turn around and look right through me. Sometimes I wake up suddenly from dreaming and I remember talking to someone in my dream. I'll remember scraps of the conversation and how it felt but then the faces are all blurry, it's like there is another me inside yelling out at me to remember, especially after I've dreamt about her..."  
  
Alex had stopped then unwilling to reveal any more and ever since he had been unwilling to elaborate as to the woman who haunts his dreams. Maybe that was what was really bothering John, he really liked Alex and for the past two years he had been practically part of the family, but was Alex really in love with his daughter, there were times when he wondered. He didn't doubt that Alex cared deeply for her, but did he love her enough to let go of this mystery woman who haunts him? What worried him deeply was the possibility that this woman could be Alex's wife, they may even have children together, and what would happen one day if he remembered who he was, what would happen to his daughter then? Maybe it was time he sat Alex Coleman down and they had a serious talk about the future. 


	3. Chapter 3

Japan, Ben Carrington's Apartment:  
  
The phone was ringing as Ben Carrington reached the door; he fumbled through his briefcase, past files until he found the passkey. Every time he came home he struggled to find the swipe card, keys were much easier at least they jangled, but the Japanese had to have high-tech solutions to every problem. Finally he swung the door open and dived for the phone.  
  
"Hello Ben?"  
  
"Blake, how nice to hear from you. How's the deal going?"  
  
"Fine Ben just fine, I trust your side of the family is still coming to us for Christmas as there's a proposition Alexis and I want to put to you."  
  
Alexis's Office  
  
"Good Morning Mrs Colby, here's your post and your messages, oh and there's a Mr Marker waiting for you in your office."  
  
"Thank you Stuart, can you see that we're not disturbed."  
  
"It's Mark Mrs Colby, Stuart was sacked last month!"  
  
"Yes of course, Mark!" Alexis retorted, rolling her eyes, with an attitude like that he was unlikely to last long either.  
  
Alexis strode into her office, Jim Marker stood with his back to her gazing out over the Denver skyline. "Good Morning Jim, and to what do I owe the pleasure, isn't it a bit early for someone on vacation?"  
  
"Yes a little but I needed to come and see you before I left. Alexis I have a confession to make."  
  
Alexis crossed over to her desk, reached for and lit one of her cigarettes, then lent back casually against it, "Really, what sort of confession?"  
  
"That I'd rather be staying here, I had a lot of fun at that party, and I've always enjoyed the cut and thrust of debate, especially with such a beautiful woman."  
  
"How cute, come off it Jim what is this visit really about?"  
  
"You don't pull any punches do you? Well I've come to ask a favour, would you and Blake still consider other companies for the deal, its just that I've been talking to a old friend of mine from Stageman Industries and I think that your offer has finally piqued their curiosity."  
  
Alexis exhaled slowly, blowing a plume of smoke whilst she pondered over the possibility. "Well if your sure that they really want in, I must admit I'm surprised they gave us a very definite refusal before, what happened to change their mind?"  
  
Jim shifted uneasily, "Well they haven't exactly changed their mind."  
  
Alexis finished her cigarette and extinguished it sharply, her eyebrows raised quizzingly, "Go on."  
  
Jim slowly wandered over to her, nervously plucking at his cuffs, and then conspiratorially leaned down resting one hand against the desktop.  
  
"Actually the man who I've been talking to is Alex Coleman, John Stageman's right hand man and soon to be son-in-law, now he's being working for John for five years and after the wedding it's expected that John will step down as CEO dividing the company shares between his children and Alex will take over as CEO."  
  
"And you think he might be willing to talk to us?" Alexis cooed.  
  
"What I think is if anyone could persuade them..." Jim trailed off smiling knowingly.  
  
"Well it that the case perhaps a little New Year's trip down under would be just what the doctor ordered!" She retorted, stubbing out her cigarette and smiling back, things were certainly looking up. 


End file.
